SISU PERKELE!!!

[Phantonym]

I think there is one part of this sisu that doesn't sit well with me and that's the hardening and toughness that comes from being stoic. Having sisu and still being sensitive seems somewhat incompatible to me.

Not necessarily incompatible. I think it depends on the hardships and the individual facing the failures and overcoming them. Some people let the long term disillusionment or whatever influence them that they do lose the sensitivity to a great degree. It's a part of their defense against possible future failures. But some people do retain their sensitivity regardless of the hardships. I don't know, it's difficult to explain.

This Sisu thing seems to have an element of tiring out the obstacles with sheer pig-headedness.

Yes, my thoughts exactly. But with some things it's a good thing while with others it's something undesirable. You can be stupid and obstinate about a lot of things just because you can.

 

[Bamboo]

I saw this great clip from Top Gear that mentioned this.

That said, the definition of sisu I heard is more about NOT doing stupid stuff, but mustering courage to complete a task.

YouTube - Top Gear Mika Hakkinen

The specifically start talking about sisu at 5:30 or so, but watch the whole clip it's good entertainment.

 

[Bamboo]

but really, this (in video) is only sort of sisu.

"However sisu is defined by a long-term element in it; it is not momentary courage, but the ability to sustain an action against the odds. Deciding on a course of action and the sticking to that decision against repeated failures is sisu."

that said, learning to drive like that takes sustained training...

 

[Skyward]

Oh, I just thought Perrrrkele (You HAVE to megaroll that R. Dü it laik a Sköhttsman!) was something foreigners yelled at metal concerts. Like, it's the only Finnish they know.

The Finnish Metal Expo in 3 weeks is gonna be AWESOME. Turmion Kätilöt, and a bunch of other crazy bands will be there.

I'll also be at Korpiklaani's concert in Helsinki drinkin' [YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbcwOHvoZbA"]Vodka![/YOUTUBE]

Finland has some boring parts (like... people here are shy and quiet (See: ISTJ-ish) and blah most of the time) but add booze you've got yourself a PARTY. Then they sober up and you're bored again :meh:

Voiko tämä olla Suomenilopaikka? (Oliko tuo oikein? En tiedä mitä 'appreciation thread' on suomeksi.)

Finnish looks cooler/more impressive than it sounds, to be honest. There's something these Helsinki people do with it that ruins the magic of it all.

I read the article at the bottom of the wiki page "The Finnish Line." Something interesting was said It's something that develops over time by direct exposure to sisu-producing situations.

I think that these sisu traits develop when life has dealt you a series of unfortunate events or unforunately born into a hard-knock life. You have no choice but to either weather on or crumple in defeat.

Finland was controlled by Sweden and Russia, and now by the European Union. Of course Sisu would develop. It's how Finland kicked Russia's ass in the Winter War (Though, I think there was more to it than that. One friend of mine here says Russia sent green troops to Finland at the time.)

Also, most people just stayed away from Finland anyway from what I've read. The people who WERE here had to be stubborn, too bad it's made pop-culture in Finland pretty humorous (in a bad way). There isn't much ingenuity here except when it comes to metal music. Sweden, Finland, and Germany seem to be the top 3 metal-band exporters in the world. Could Finland's love of hard music (I saw a couple of 60+ year old women at a Stratovarius concert) be from the inner turmoil and frustration caused by Sisu?

 

[nolla]

Voiko tämä olla Suomenilopaikka? (Oliko tuo oikein? En tiedä mitä 'appreciation thread' on suomeksi.)

I just realized that I don't know what word they use in Finnish for "thread"... Appreciation is "ylistys". I guess the best I can come up with for "thread" would be "keskustelu" but the combination of these two sounds ridiculous. Ylistyskeskustelu. There is something too official and old in that term.

I don't talk in any Finnish forums, so I'm totally out of touch with Finnish internet vocabulary...

(Though, I think there was more to it than that. One friend of mine here says Russia sent green troops to Finland at the time.)

That is true. Also we got weapons and training from the nazis...

Oh, and by the way, the troops they sent here were from somewhere south. Like around the the Black Sea or something. They wouldn't have lasted the winter even if we didn't shoot at them.

 

[Skyward]

I just realized that I don't know what word they use in Finnish for "thread"... Appreciation is "ylistys". I guess the best I can come up with for "thread" would be "keskustelu" but the combination of these two sounds ridiculous. Ylistyskeskustelu. There is something too official and old in that term.

I don't talk in any Finnish forums, so I'm totally out of touch with Finnish internet vocabulary...

That is true. Also we got weapons and training from the nazis...

Oh, and by the way, the troops they sent here were from somewhere south. Like around the the Black Sea or something. They wouldn't have lasted the winter even if we didn't shoot at them.

If it was anything worse than this winter, I'll believe it! I'm glad I got here the year I did, everyone is saying the last handful of years have been crappy winters.

What sucks is that I'm in Vantaa, the armpit of the Greater Helsinki Region. Even Espoo is better because at least that place has rich people. ( and a joke is that Talin is 'Southern Espoo' and that Estonia is Finland's Disney World because that's where all the fun (and cheap booze) is ).

I also go to school in Korso, the Armpit of Vantaa. Now imagine an armpit of an armpit, plus 5 pubs within a kilometer of the lukio (highschool). Yeah, looks like I'm going to have to summon up my Sisu for this - or be a foreign wimp and bitch about it

Sisu seems to be a good trait for a common soldier, but not for much else.

 

[SilkRoad]

Yay for sisu! I'm half Finnish, so I know about this. (I also like the weird candies!) Not sure how much I have, though. I need to read this thread properly...

 

[Skyward]

Yay for sisu! I'm half Finnish, so I know about this. (I also like the weird candies!) Not sure how much I have, though. I need to read this thread properly...

Salmiakki? Ässä Mix? Sirkus Aakkoset? Pantteri Mix? Dumle?

Fazer is everywhere... I tell people that if Fazer and Sokos were the only companies that survived and everything else died, most people wouldn't notice.

Fazer sells candy, pianos, bread... And Sokos is Big Brother.

 

[nolla]

If it was anything worse than this winter, I'll believe it! I'm glad I got here the year I did, everyone is saying the last handful of years have been crappy winters.

I don't remember a colder winter than this one. Now it's minus ten degrees here and I feel like going outside in a T-shirt! It was so freaking cold until this.

I also go to school in Korso, the Armpit of Vantaa. Now imagine an armpit of an armpit, plus 5 pubs within a kilometer of the lukio (highschool). Yeah, looks like I'm going to have to summon up my Sisu for this - or be a foreign wimp and bitch about it

Yep, Korso has a reputation. Good luck... Take it as a initiatory rite. If you survive this, there is nothing in Finland that can put you down.

 

[Skyward]

I don't remember a colder winter than this one. Now it's minus ten degrees here and I feel like going outside in a T-shirt! It was so freaking cold until this.

An Icelandic exchange student in Mikkeli was complaining of -25 in the DAY. I'm thankful it's warmer down south

Can we have a rolecall of the general area where people are? I'm thinking about getting a Finland get-together started (And no stubborn Finn will start one)

Yep, Korso has a reputation. Good luck... Take it as a initiatory rite. If you survive this, there is nothing in Finland that can put you down.

Mooseflies might perturb me a bit.

 

[nolla]

An Icelandic exchange student in Mikkeli was complaining of -25 in the DAY. I'm thankful it's warmer down south

It was about -20 here, and wind probably made it -30. And this is south.

Can we have a rolecall of the general area where people are? I'm thinking about getting a Finland get-together started (And no stubborn Finn will start one)

At the moment I live about hundred kilometers east of Helsinki. I am moving soon, though, but not too far.

Mooseflies might perturb me a bit.

They are really not that bad. If there isn't many. I find mosquitoes more annoying.

 

[Skyward]

It was about -20 here, and wind probably made it -30. And this is south.

At the moment I live about hundred kilometers east of Helsinki. I am moving soon, though, but not too far.

They are really not that bad. If there isn't many. I find mosquitoes more annoying.

I don't even need to see them. The IDEA of them makes be paranoid. I was spoiled back in the States, my town sprayed for mosquitoes regularly so we didn't have them often. I remember a few months ago in Spring when it was so annoying to try and sleep with the buzzing mosquitoes do. Hell there were some creepily BIG ones too! Mommasquitoes.

 

[nolla]

I don't even need to see them. The IDEA of them makes be paranoid.

Oh, why? They just crawl around in your hair...

Hell there were some creepily BIG ones too! Mommasquitoes.

But they don't bite. (Some people say they do, but I don't believe them...)

By the way, do you know what a "paarma" is? I think it's called "march fly" in english. Now, THOSE are freaking annoying!

 

[SilkRoad]

Salmiakki? Ässä Mix? Sirkus Aakkoset? Pantteri Mix? Dumle?

Fazer is everywhere... I tell people that if Fazer and Sokos were the only companies that survived and everything else died, most people wouldn't notice.

Fazer sells candy, pianos, bread... And Sokos is Big Brother.

I L-O-V-E Fazer...People look at me weird when I say that Finns make the best candies...

 

[Skyward]

Oh, why? They just crawl around in your hair...


But they don't bite. (Some people say they do, but I don't believe them...)

By the way, do you know what a "paarma" is? I think it's called "march fly" in english. Now, THOSE are freaking annoying!

Nothing bigger than my thumb lasts in Minnesota, especially in the plains area. Paarma is horsefly here (march fly, according to wiki, is the term used in Australia - it seems common for Finns to go to Australia, my hostmother's sister lives there currently.), I've seen those. I've been bitten by one too. But only once in my life.

'We may not always win, says Sisu, but we most assuredly will never lose."' from the wiki link. That is the part of Sisu I like the most. It is also just general optimism. If only Finns used this more and didn't internalize so much; things would be more interesting and less depressing, people don't smile much here. (Says the American )

 

[nolla]

Finns make the best candies...

I would extend that to Scandinavia. You know Haribo?

march fly, according to wiki, is the term used in Australia

Ah, makes sence. An australian told me that it was called that...

'We may not always win, says Sisu, but we most assuredly will never lose."' from the wiki link. That is the part of Sisu I like the most. It is also just general optimism. If only Finns used this more and didn't internalize so much; things would be more interesting and less depressing, people don't smile much here. (Says the American )

Optimism isn't the first thing that comes to mind. A man with a pick on a stony field may have sisu, but he definitely isn't smiling.

 

[Skyward]

I would extend that to Scandinavia. You know Haribo?


Ah, makes sence. An australian told me that it was called that...


Optimism isn't the first thing that comes to mind. A man with a pick on a stony field may have sisu, but he definitely isn't smiling.

He's a Finn, and at least on Wednesdays and weekends he's drunk. So for nearly half the time he's smiling

 

[SilkRoad]

I would extend that to Scandinavia. You know Haribo?

Yeah, I know Haribo and I'd agree about Scandinavian candies generally. Actually, I love the food generally. Fresh and tasty, lovely rye breads and mmmmmm... *food reverie*

 

[Skyward]

Yeah, I know Haribo and I'd agree about Scandinavian candies generally. Actually, I love the food generally. Fresh and tasty, lovely rye breads and mmmmmm... *food reverie*

Makaronilaatiko, perferably with overcooked meat and nothing on it. A Finnish staple

Finnish rye bread is great, though. That and candy is what I like eating here, after that its kinda... bland.

 

[SilkRoad]

Makaronilaatiko, perferably with overcooked meat and nothing on it. A Finnish staple

Finnish rye bread is great, though. That and candy is what I like eating here, after that its kinda... bland.

Finnish food reminds me of my childhood when we used to come over to visit my grandmother - she gave me and my brother a big slice of makaraa voi leipaa every night...